Address listing device



June 3, 1952 H. L. NEILSEN ET AL r 2,598,819

ADDRESS LISTING DEVICE Filed March 5, 1950 ATTORN EYS Patented June 3,1952 UNITED STATE ADDRESS LISTING DEVICE Hildaur L. Neilsen, Metuchen,N. 1., and Arnol Neustadter, New York, N. Y.

Application March 3, i950, Serial No. 147,522

2 Claims.

Our invention relates vice characterized by a rolled web of paper orfabric that may be withdrawn from or retracted into a casing, and moreparticularly to such a device suitable for a pocket memorandum sheet.

Frequently one desires to make a notation ofv a name or telephone numberand the like and finds himself without a pencil and paper, or else afterthe notation is recorded it is misplaced and cannot be found whenrequired. Then, too, if such notes are made on several pieces of paperthey collect as a bulky, dishevelled mass.

Accordingly, it is among the objects of my invention to provide acompact, attractive memorandum sheet and pencil, which is convenient tocarry and not likely to be misplaced. Another object is to provide sucha device which is simple to use, durable and of foolproof design. Afurther object is to provide a construction which will roll a memorandumsheet into a spool and thereby retain it normally in a retractedposition, and which will allow the sheet to be withdrawn andautomatically locked at any desired position for use, and which may beautomatically retracted when desired.

Another object is to provide a case and spool which are made frominexpensive parts so designed as to lend themselves to rapid assembly. Astill further object is to provide fittings which permit smoothoperation and which may not be tampered with or removed once all partsare assembled.

These and other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outbelow.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, arrangements of parts and in the several stepsand relation and order of each of the same to one i or more of theothers, all as will be illustratively described herein, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the memorandum case with the sheetpartially unrolled and a pencil removed from its housing;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of the memorandumcase shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along line 44 of Fig. 2;and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section along line 55 of Fig. 2.

In the illustrative embodiment of the present invention a strip ofspecial cloth that is tear resistant, Washable, and capable of beingwritten to an address listing deon, is attached to and rolled upon aspool which is mounted in a plastic-lined metal case. "The case isprovided with plastic end pieces molded from the same material as thelining, so thatafter assembly a small amount of suitable organic solventmay be injected underneath the .edges of the liner to weld the partstogether. 'The" spool has a spindle on one end which journals into anend piece and attaches to a fiat spiralspring which is seated in thatend piece, while the other end is bored to receive a shaft which has aflange and a button at one extremity. The button protrudes through ahole in the center of the other end piece, and a helical spring attached:to the spool encircles the shaft and rests against its flange. Thehelical spring coacts with teeth in the end piece to provide a ratchettype lock which releases the strip when the buttonis depressed. Theouter extremity of the writing strip is attached to a hollow pull barwhich may be adapted to receive a pencil.

Referring now to Fig. l, a-memorandum case I llwith a squarecross-section is illustrated with a writing strip [2 partially withdrawnthrough longitudinal opening H. or fabric, but we prefer to use aspecially treated cloth which can be written on with either pencil orpen, which is washable, and which resists tearing and fraying. It may beruled and lettered as shown for the convenience of the user, andissuitable for making notations such as the fictitious names and telephonenumbers illustrated. A cylindrical pull bar l4, fixed to the end ofstrip [2, has the threefold purpose of preventing strip [2 fromcompletely retracting inside case ID, of providing a grip for pullingthe strip, and serving as a housing for a writing instrument, such as alead'pencil l 6 which may be inserted inside to be friction held to theassembly. An enlarged .cap I! is provided to prevent pencil Hi fromsliding completely into pull bar [4. A push button 20 protrudes througha hole 22 in a square end piece [8 and serves to release strip l2 forretraction, as described belowin detail. A square end piece 26 issituated at the opposite end of case in, whilea metal jacket 24 formsthe side walls of the case between end pieces l8 and 26. i

The internal details of case ID are shown in Fig. 2. A cylindrical spool28 on which strip I2 is rolled is rotatably mounted between end piecesand IS. A spindle 30 afilxed to the left side of spool 28 journals intobore 32 in end piece 26 to hold one end in position, while an elongatedshaft 34 extending from release button 20 journals into a deep bore 38of spool 28 tohold the other end Strip l2 maybe paper 30 on the left endand around shaft 34 on the right end.

The mechanism is constructed so thatstrip I2- 7 may be-jld'rawn by pullbar I4 through opening II in'the'cas'i'ng to adesired length or positionand automatically held there until released, By

depressing release button 20 strip I2 will be re-' turned to its normalrolled up position. This type V of operation is accomplished by the useof a flat spiral or coil spring 42 at the left sideof spool'ZB and ahelical spring 44 at the right side. Coil spring 42 fits into a circularwell 62 *formed in end piece 26 (Fig. 4), the outer end 58 of the springbeing bent. over and extended through a slot 48 and against endpieceside 52, the inner 'endi l of the spring being S-shaped andinserted through'a slot 56 formed 'in'theen'd of spindle 3B.'Gonsequently, when-spindle 31!] isirotated counterclockwise as viewedinFig. 4,:coilspring 4.2 will 4 in size and shape, and form bisymmetricL-shaped liners for jacket 24 when they are assembled over inserts 46and 12 of end pieces 26 and I8 respectively. The aforementioned springcompression of jacket 24 retains these parts in position, while as toone another the parts are loosely fitted to facilitate rapid assembly.One corner 12a of insert 12- of end piece I8 is bevelled and is inset at12b and 120 on each side of the bevel (Fig. 3) to permit pull bar I4 torest partially within the corners of the casing and to accommodate theshaped edges 36a and 40a of liners 36 and 40 respectively, while insert46 of end piece 26 (Fig. 4) has a bevelled corner 46a with insets 46band 460 which serve the same purposes. Edges a and 25b of jacket ,24-fit against the upper curved portions of shaped edges 36a and a of theliners respectively hence any danger of strip I2 rubbing or fraying onthe metal edges of jacket 24 is V avoided.

be placed under tension tandwillurge spindle 33 'in theoppositedirection to rewind strip I2 when spool 28 is released.

d The locking means is provided by 'a ratchet arrangement shown 'in Fig.5 and at the right side of'Fig. 2. Helical spring 44, which 'has one end58 secured'toispool '28 as by .a nail GIL-encircles s'ha'ft 34andiprojects into a circular well 64 in end piece I8 in whichratchetteeth project,-fo'ur such teeth'66a, 66b, 66c "and'66d being shown inthe illustrative embodiment (Fig. 5). End 68 ofheli'cal'spring 44 willsnapover ratchet teeth Wm-66b, 66c and 66d as spool '26 revolves when:strip .I2 is withdrawn, while simultaneous- -ly coil spring 42 isplaced =under tension as above described; however, when strip =I2 isreleased;

coil spring 42 will urge spool '28 in the reversedirection and end 68 ofhelical spring44 will lodge againstone of the ratchet teeth to 'lockspool28 'sothat strip I2 will be heldfin its extendediposition. :Spring='end '68 rests against a end B8 to clear ratchet tooth 66a, and byholding in button 20spool 28'will-continue to rewind strip I2 since end-68'-of helical "spring 44 will slide around edge -'II of flange 10.

The enclosure for rolled memorandum strip I2 "provides a sturdy anddurable structure which is economical, easily assembled, and tamperproof. It consists of an outer -metal jacket 24 -surrounding plasticliners '36 and 40 (see Fig. 3) to provide a plasticlin'edelongatedcasing which embraces portions 46 and 12 of endpieces 26 and"IB respectiVely. Each'endpiece has a peripheral shoulder 14 againstwhich the'edges-of'the jacket and liners abut.

The enclosure 'is constructed for easy assem--" bly, and is so designedthat its components once assembled may not be taken -apart. Jacket 24 ismade from a suitable resilient material such as sheet metal with sides24c -an'd 24d (Fig.3)

at right 'angles'and sides 24a and 24b' prestrained inwardly to exert acompression force when' the parts are assembled as shown in Fig. '3.Sides .24a1and 24b are foreshortened andedges 25a and 25b are bent overto form opening ;I I through whichstrip I2 may be withdrawn.

Liners 36 and 40 are -substantially identical is to interpreted as ingsense.

Liners 36 and 40 are designed to fit snugly within jacket 24 and againstinserts 46 and I2,

'and yet any binding of parts is eliminated by increasing the radius ofcorners 36b and 40b and foreshortening and beveling edges 36c and 4C.End pieces I8 and 26, liners 3B and '40, and jacket 24 may be quicklyassembled without need for adjustment for tolerances. The entirememorandum case is put together simply by inserting liners 36 and 40 inplace along 'diametrically opposed corners of jacket 24 (Fig. 3),flexing the right side of jacket 24 outwardly to fit end piece I8 intoplace, inserting spool 28 between the liners with shaft 34 in hole 38and strip I2 rolled up (but pull bar I4 of course being on the outsideof opening II) then engaging spindle 30 with end 54 of spring 42 whichis seated in end piece 26 and turning piece '26 to load spring 42,andfinally flexing the left side'of jacket 24 ,outwardly to allow endpiece 26 to be seated. If desired a Washer 75 may be placed between coilspring 42 and end piece 26 to prevent binding of parts.

Liners 36 and 40 are preferably molded from the same plastic materialasend pieces I8 and 26 so that these parts may be held togetherpermanently after they are assembled by injecting between theoverlapping edges (such as 46d in Figs. 2 and 3) a suitable cement ororganic solvent which causes the plastic parts to adhere. The end piecesare then incapable-of removal without destruction, and jacket 24" isspring looked around the liners, thereby forming a strong, compactcasing. By using plastic liners 36 and 40 a'sturdy foundation for metaljacket 24 is provided. Thus the jacket may be made of very light gagesheet metal which is costly relative to the plasticliners. i

As many possible embodiments may be of the above invention, and as manychanges might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to beunderstood that all matter hereinabove set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings illustrative and 'not in a limit- What we claimis:

1. As a sub-assembly, a casing construction with a longitudinal openingconsisting of a light Weight sheet metal jacket which is sprunginwardly, plastic liners adapted to fit loosely against the'inside wallsof said jacket, and end pieces flanged to extend between said linerswhen said jacket is sprung outwardly, thereby to prevent disassembly ofcomponent parts when said liner flanges are welded to said end pieces.

2. As a sub-assembly, a casing construction with a longitudinal opening,consisting of a metal jacket which is sprung inwardly, bisymmetricplastic liners adapted to fit loosely against the inside walls of saidjacket, and plastic end pieces flanged to extend between said linerswhen said jacket is sprung outwardly, thereby to permit said end piecesto be secured permanently to said liners by injecting suitable fluidmaterial between the overlapping portions of said liner and said endpiece flanges to cause cementing of the plastic parts.

HILDAUR L. NEILSEN. ARNOLD NEUSTADTER.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

